Performance Analysis for HF Communication with Dominant Noise Source

The channel model for ionospheric high frequency (HF) communication is examined by modeling the received noise distribution at the antenna as a Kappa distribution because of thermal antiequilibrium in the ionosphere at sunrise. A Kappa approximation of the noise tail probability is provided. The bit error rate (BER) for binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) is then found by using the maximum likelihood decision criterion. Results for other modulation schemes are also investigated. At sunrise, the BER is found to be larger than that predicted by a Gaussian tail.